


Vacation Days

by Raisans_Grapeon



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bodyswap, Comedy, Edward Elric Keeps Alchemy, Kinda Crack, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, a lot of laughs, hopefully, kinda sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26312476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raisans_Grapeon/pseuds/Raisans_Grapeon
Summary: Summary: Ed thinks he can offer something even more valuable than his door to Truth in exchange for his brother. A year-long vacation.Crack with a serious B-plot but we only care about the A-plot here tbh.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Edward Elric & The Truth
Comments: 57
Kudos: 115





	1. A Done Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings and hellos and all that nice introductory stuff! I'm finally writing again!
> 
> This work is really just supposed to be some fun with a concept that I had! Like the summary says, this is crack(not really but it's just wacky fun) with a serious B-plot, but we only care about the A-plot here, probably. A-plot follows Truth, and B-plot follows Ed. All subsequent chapters from here-on-out will flip flop between these two plots regularly! Even chapters for the A-plot, odd chapters for the B. 
> 
> I am in no way a professional, nor have I ever taken a creative writing class in my entirety of existence. Critique of my work is highly recommended and encouraged! I want to get better and if there are any aspects that you think I can improve on, by all means, voice your thoughts! Not to mention that any comments, in general, are so greatly appreciated! They really help with motivation and I love going in and reading them over and over again!
> 
> Please, enjoy what I have made!

The resounding clap seemed to carry on onto infinity, ringing bright in Edward’s ears while it was ferried away into an empty expanse. Everything grew still and cold. The now-familiar sensation of true emptiness surrounding him sent small chills to run along his spine and settle at the base of his neck, lingering as they tended to do here. Distantly, Ed recalled the voices of his friends calling out to him in the seconds before the transmutation completed. 

With a determined calm that he never felt before, Ed let his eyes drift open, sights set below.

Sitting ever so comfortably with Edward’s leg was Truth. Despite the lack of features, their gaze could be easily felt, boring holes into Edward’s head. Their fluctuating form was lax, but they seemed to carry an air of curiosity with them. Their grin almost split their face in half as it materialized from the blank slate.

“So,” all at once, the voices of thousands harmonized to let Truth speak, “once again, you land yourself here. I know what you want, so what do you offer in return?” On and on into the white the question carried. A quick trick of the mind would be enough to explain away why it seemed as though the formless body leaned ever so slightly forward towards the young and daring alchemist. “Your own body, perhaps?” Their query was smooth and confident, assured that their presumption had to have been correct.

Taking up a second to wait for the last remnants of Truth’s voices to peter out into silence, Ed rehearsed his end of the bargain again, double-checking what the costs would be according to something like Truth. Even if his first proposal was a flop, he had almost a guaranteed trade-off in line right behind him. A beat longer in the stillness and Ed grinned the widest he ever had in front of Truth. Confidence was the word of the blasted day. In the end, Ed just needed enough confidence in his brain to keep himself convinced that his first proposition would work, and that plan B would simply fade into afterthought at the end of it all. It wouldn’t come to that because by now, Edward was convinced he knew just enough about Truth to bank on the notion that he would be enough.

Focusing to keep his voice even, Ed responded.

“In a sense. When was the last time you had a vacation?”

With mounting curiosity, Truth leaned a bit more into Edward’s foot, their broad smile ever-growing across their featureless head, stark white teeth large and nearly taunting. Excitement seemed to ripple into the vacant air, crashing over Ed in chaotic waves. “I’m liking the sound of this already!” they responded, intrigue lacing each word.

The hope that Ed had been fostering in his chest rapidly took root and blossomed forth in record time. In an instant it pushed against his ribcage, puffing his chest out and growing along his spine, elongating it. He had a hook in. Truth was interested and hadn’t given any hint to shooting down the notion. “Then how about”– he opened his arms up, displaying his battered and bloodied body to Truth– “I give you my body for a year. You get to be nearly human, run around, eat food, deal with automail, the whole package. A full ticket to the meaning of being human. All this in exchange for Alphonse. Flesh and all.” 

The offer hung in the air long after all sound had died out and the smile spread across Truth’s face was wiped clean, surprised. By what wasn’t entirely clear. Just as quickly as it had come, the hope in Ed’s chest began to shrink back as the silence was interpreted as a blatant rejection. The collection of all manners of laughter that erupted from Truth only further burned down at the support that had been built up within the teen. Still, he hoped stubbornly keeping a mask of aplomb would perhaps change something. Even as the boisterous display of mirth died down, back into their ever stretching smile, Edward couldn’t help but feel his mask slip as nervous beads of sweat began to squeeze their way out into the open. Plan B reared it’s ugly head just as Truth spoke out again. 

“I must say, I love it when you visit, Edward Elric!” they declared joyously, the remaining bubbles of laughter and chortles still caught in the very back of their throat. “You bring a big old smile to my being!” With no effort, the formless being stood on one solid leg and took feather-light steps towards the alchemist as his arms fell back to his sides. Their head tilted up to maintain vague eye contact with Ed as they neared closer and closer. It took everything Ed had left in himself to not take a step back in turn, even if his posture wavered under scrutiny. “Allow me to throw in one more condition of my own before I call it even.” Their hand raised to point at the alchemist. “You need to cover for me while I’m gone. Someone needs to watch over the Gates,” they amended. 

Edward let his smile falter and crumble into thought. If he was being honest with himself and the void around him, he didn’t think too hard about where his soul would go if Truth were to accept the deal, nor what would happen to their domain. Just another point to the lack of well-thought-out plans Ed supposed. It didn’t take much more than a moment for him to consider and conclude that this was probably the best deal he could get out of Truth. 

Drawing in a breath, Ed hardened his resolve. It would only be a year. Steely determination set in, and he grinned back at Truth. “Let’s call it equivalent, then!”

“Indeed,” Truth mused back. “So it is!” Their hands set on their hips in triumph as they began to circle the alchemist like a predator as they began to explain. “You will need to sit here, overseeing alchemical transactions, and, most importantly, human transmutations.” Their form halted, standing tall next to Ed as they tilted their head to focus on his face. Truth would be lying if they said they didn’t get a sliver of satisfaction from how the human’s body tensed and all traces of his smirk quickly melted away. Leaning in slightly, they proudly declared, “of course, you know plenty about how that goes.” The audible gulp did not go unnoticed. 

Truth’s pacing resumed. “When I become human, you will become the embodiment of truth, as I am. You will no longer be Edward Elric. Not strictly.” Lifting a thoughtful finger, they accentuated their point carefully. “You are the world. You are the universe. You are God. You are truth. You are one. You are all. Or you will be.” Their circling halted again in front of Ed as their grin pulled ever so slowly down into a stern frown. “It’s a job I take very seriously, and I know you will too. Right?”

Edward could feel the hardened glare coming from Truth’s form, taking hold of him in a vice-like grip with no hint of ease. Freezing up was all his body could think to do. Instinctually, Ed cleared his throat to ensure clarity in his voice when responding, as well as to hopefully push out any potential trip-ups his tongue might have. “I’ll hold up your reputation, don’t worry,” he shrugged off, unwilling to let Truth see how phased he was by their stony stare. “Y-you know me!” His voice’s betrayal was insurmountable.

The smile slid back on the form’s face, less broad and joyous, and more along the lines of thin and knowing. “I do, Edward Elric.” Pivoting to fully face the body and soul, Truth’s hip cocked out as their hand rested on it. Their voice was vibrant in the blank space as they declared, “For further emphasis, Alchemist. When in my stead, you will sit and wait to see if anyone knocks on the door. If a question is asked, you will answer with the bare minimum needed to answer it, unless it is something to be revealed by the Gate. You must open the Gate. No exceptions.”

One confident step forward.

“You will become Equivalent Exchange itself. You will know what to take in compensation. If necessary, you will need to take lives in retribution for the taboo caused.”

Another step as their voices began to rumble.

“To deny that is to deny yourself. Your morals must not be hindered by your humanity. After this, you will not have it anymore. Even I cannot foretell the repercussions that would follow if you were to let a single body and soul go back unscathed.”

Once more, and Ed almost choked on the energy that swam around the form.

“For one year, you will become Truth, and, in turn, I will become Edward Elric. In exchange, Alphonse Elric will return with me to reality, body and all. This is equivalent.”

Edward needed to collect his nerves before he could muster up a sentence against the pointed lecture he had received. “Just keep Al safe while I’m gone, and don’t die,” was all he could say in response while hoping with every nerve in his body that it would be one uneventful year for him.

A quick nod of acknowledgment was all Ed got from the proclaimed god as they continued their stride forward towards him.

The moment pure, formless energy made contact with solid mass, Edward could feel control of his body being leeched and torn away from him. It was the feeling of melting away, ever so slowly as he became increasingly numb. The feeling of grime and dirt wedged between his toes. The sticky warmth of still fresh blood coating his chin. The beat of his heart. One by one they ebbed away as it was replaced by a void. Everything about him became a haze as corporeality was robbed from him. 

The sound of footsteps walking away from Edward echoed in the endless vacuum. 

Far off behind him, Ed could hear Al talking to hi- no. To Truth. To Truth’s body. Edward didn’t think he could bear to turn to face Al to watch him walk away with an imposter. Familiar creaks and groans of the Gate opening up for the two called out. Their voices were far off, muffled as though there was cotton in Ed’s ears. Two solid paces were set to the exit as the Gates closed once more.

Ed’s resolve broke, and he stole a glance backwards.

Mere seconds before the grand doors of Al’s Gate could swallow Al and Ed’s body whole, the brothers made eye contact. Gold to Hazel.

And Ed smiled.


	2. Test Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truth gets some sun and a healthy serving of "holy shit I'm a human being"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp UUUUUUUUUUUUH I tried to set up a posting time but aaaaaaaaaaaaa that didn't work! SO UH YOU GET CHAPTER EARLY THIS WEEK MERRY FRIDAY NERDS
> 
> Wow! Thanks for coming by for another chapter! So glad you could join me!
> 
> Now, admittedly, this chapter isn't quite funny and more just... being Truth for 700 words. I promise the Truth chapters (or are they the Edward chapters?) are going to be funnier, but I couldn't find too much humor opportunity in the first moments where Truth exists and a physical being. More so just observing how an omniscient being would adapt into a body that can't instantly assess, process, and retain. 
> 
> And yeah, this is a bit shorter. Again, I didn't have much for this first Truth chap, and not to mention that I REALLY LIKED THE ENDING LINE AND I WANTED TO KEEP IT AS THE ENDING
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading! Again, sorry for the lack of funny and the short chapter.

Stepping into the normal flow of time was jarring, and that was putting it lightly.

Truth felt everything around them all at once, crashing down in the matter of milliseconds before blinding white gave way to the pale blue of the endless sky and light grey walls of the final arena. All of it was enough to send the being staggering and falling forward with Alphonse Elric still leaning heavily into the already weary body Truth inhabited. The cacophony of noises that all competed against each other for attention. Even when knowing everything, it never happened like this. Information usually flowed freely, quietly, and innocuously, a mere thought stowed away for later referral. The sudden requirement to intake physically and spend time processing gave Truth a dizziness that they never thought they’d be able to understand.

It was all so  _ exhilarating. _

It was new and strange and Truth relished in it.

Rapidly, the crowd of humans converged in on Truth and the other Elric, all fretting and cheering and trying their best lend a helping hand to the two. And although the affection wasn’t truly directed towards them, Truth basked in the new experience. Even as the deep-set soreness and exhaustion crashed over them in waves, they smiled and kept their eyes wide to the world, observing the humans he monitored for years.

Riza Hawkeye rushed Roy Mustang’s coat over to Alphonse Elric. Mei Chang continued to cry, though it was presumed to be happy tears this time. Van Hohenheim crouched beside the other Elric while looking over at Truth with a warm smile. Ling Yao stuck by Lan Fan, though the two shuffled forward. Alexander Louis Armstrong cried and flexed, being pushed back by Izumi Curtis to prevent him from suffocating to two boys on the ground.

The thought hit Truth. They very well couldn’t call themself Truth anymore, could they? They were Edward Elric now. They were now the small, insignificant cog in the infinite machine that was Truth. They had descriptors. Limitations. A single voice. 

A voice they hadn’t tried yet.

Forcing themself to implement prioritization, they rolled their body to stare at the scrawny form that was their brother, they supposed. From the looks of it, the boy had passed out when stepping through the Gate. It made sense, they surmised. His body was dangerously weak. Truth though know, they watched that body wither slowly for years.

Truth all but smacked themself to bring themself back on track. They didn’t think human minds wandered so easily and frequently. Maybe it was just them? Still, they had so much to try out, and the first and foremost was their voice.

“Alphonse Elric?” The query held weight, resting on their new tongue with a strange grittiness that they could only assume was normal. The sound itself was familiar, but still undeniably strange to hear voicing their own words. They guessed that humans sound a bit different to themselves than to others. Which must mean that humans never knew what they actually sounded like. Truth never thought to even think about that, since their voice was millions of other voices coming together to give them speech.

“Brother?” a shaky response croaked out above the din of the other’s muttering and fretting. Alphonse Elric’s eyes were wide open, staring right into Truth’s own, borrowed eyes. 

Right. They were “brother” now. They were he. They were Edward. They were solidly the one. They were a person. At long last. Well, they didn’t even aspire to be a person, but after centuries of sitting back and managing the little creatures, one does get curious. Quickly, they put a stopper on the stream of thoughts.

“Yes?” they responded, leaning forward with far too much interest. Maybe he’d notice. Truth saw the way the Elrics had made eye contact as the Gate separated them for one long… or maybe frighteningly short year. So, maybe the younger Elric figured it out. Would that make Truth happy or frustrated? Or sad? Did they want to go through the year as innocuous as possible, or would it be more fulfilling to be themself? They didn’t have a “themself” to be, did they? Usually, when humans knocked on the door, they adopted mannerisms and speech patterns to reflect the person before them. Did that count as a personality trait? Maybe. As they had been clearly shown in just the past 3 minutes, nothing was impossible. Truth supposed that was the greatest thing about humanity. There truly no limits to what they could bend and break before them through sheer will power.

Truth exaggerated a blink to yank their train of thought back to the present. Back to Alphonse Elric. He had seemed to linger on a look of confusion for the time during Truth’s rampant thoughts. It stuck for a few seconds longer before his face broke out into a triumphant smile. “We did it… we really did it, huh?” His voice shook with strain and emotion, other hands helping him sit upright while still being wrapped in Roy Mustang’s thick black coat.

Truth… Ed smiled back as wide as … as wide as he could. “Yes, we did it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading all the way through! It means a lot! If you want some fma art (including Vacation Days art) my Tumblr is @raisans-art! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated, sorry again for the short chapter. Hopefully the next one will be a bit longer! Thank you again for reading, and stay healthy!


	3. Pale in Comparison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's just Ed, the void, and everything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you for dropping into another chapter!
> 
> I'm trying a different format for the Ed chapters? Maybe? I thought this might be an interesting break up between chapters to have this little disjointed mess. If you like it, great! If not, please tell me. I want to make this reading experience enjoyable to you all and I just want to know what about this formatting makes you disinterested, or if you find that it detracts from the narrative, rather than enhancing it.
> 
> Anyway, critique and comments are appreciated
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

It was white. 

Everywhere was white.

For a place so bright, Edward would’ve thought that he’d have no shadow.

But one stuck to him, surrounding his body-

...form...

…

...body.

It fluctuated and dragged as he moved but it congregated around him regardless.

It felt like nothing.

Nothing felt like anything.

Maybe it was because nothing was there?

Or he wasn’t there. 

Or both.

He walked with nowhere in mind.

Probably because there was nowhere to be.

Nowhere to go.

Why was he walking?

He stopped and opted to sit instead.

He brought up his hand to observe his new… form.

The skin was… paler than he remembered.

Then again, he never stayed in Truth’s domain for too long. 

Maybe it was a side effect.

The shadows crowding his body-form- blurred the line between where he ended and the shadows began.

There was no queasiness to accompany the unsettling lack of definition.

Already, he was over the lack of anything.

Edward groaned.

Thousands of others groaned with him.

The sudden sound of others made Ed scramble and search the infinite white for anyone else.

Then it dawned on him.

That was him.

That was what he sounded like now.

The thought made Ed cringe a bit.

There would’ve been shivers under any other circumstance.

He decided to test the water a bit more with his new voice.

Voices?

“Uh… Hey.”

A thousand greetings rung out.

It was still unsettling.

Ed decided he didn’t need to speak with no one around.

So he was here. 

Stranded.

By himself, of course. 

But stranded nonetheless.

How much time had passed?

Surely a day.

Okay, maybe an hour.

Two hours?

How was everyone?

How was Al?

_ Stretched out on a hospital bed. His hair fanned out, framing his face and shoulders as he breathed steadily. Tubes poked out from the crooks of both arms, attached to bags full of fluids and nutrients. Thoughts and feelings buzzed around his head as he lay. A happiness burst from him that he hadn’t felt for far too long. Existence was sweet, and he was eager to re-experience it all. _

Oh.

Ed had to shake his head to regain a grip on the white around him.

The knowledge seemed to come from nowhere and back again as if it had never even existed in the first place.

Edward spent quite possibly too long thinking about the occurrence.

All the while, tidbits of information trickled in.

Dripping in slowly as he thought.

_ A young girl stayed up late, pouring over books about mathmatics. She couldn’t quite grasp the concepts, the information sliding from grasp like grains of sand. But she wouldn’t stop. She had a test tomorrow. She needed to understand. _

Information. 

Information about people.

People he knew exisited and people he had never met before. 

But it felt like he had.

Like if he just thought long enough…

_ Emily May. 12 years old. Lives alone with her mother. Father was killed in Ishval. The subject was surrounded by glass and eggshells and neither parent nor child dared to tread over to touch it. She was good at writing, but maths and sciences were much harder for her to understand. _

… He’d know everything.

That was because he did.

Didn’t he?

This was what Truth was.

This is what he is.

Even knowing this, he still insisted he was Edward.

His body may be gone…

_ His legs may be useless… _

_ Her toll may be crippling… _

_ His eyes may be distant… _

_ Her tears may be accumulating… _

But he was Edward Elric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the formatting! Any feedback about it, or the chapter in general is so greatly appreciated! I love reading what you all have to say about my fics!
> 
> Thank you again for reading all the way through, and stay healthy!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading all the way through! I hope to keep a consistent upload schedule for this fic so Saturdays are when this will hopefully be updating!
> 
> Thank you again for reading, feel free to feed me with comments, and Stay Healthy!!
> 
> Ps: I forgot about this, but I have a tumblr with art I made of this fic if you are interested in seeing!   
> https://raisans-art.tumblr.com/


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